Key determinants of the dual clamp/activator function of Complexin.

Complexin determines magnitude and kinetics of synchronized secretion, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remained unclear. Here, we show that the hydrophobic face of the amphipathic helix at the C-terminus of Complexin II (CpxII, amino acids 115-134) binds to fusion-promoting SNARE proteins, prevents premature secretion, and allows vesicles to accumulate in a release-ready state in mouse chromaffin cells. Specifically, we demonstrate that an unrelated amphipathic helix functionally substitutes for the C-terminal domain (CTD) of CpxII and that amino acid substitutions on the hydrophobic side compromise the arrest of the pre-fusion intermediate.

The SNAP-25 linker supports fusion intermediates by local lipid interactions.

SNAP-25 is an essential component of SNARE complexes driving fast Ca-dependent exocytosis. Yet, the functional implications of the tandem-like structure of SNAP-25 are unclear. Here, we have investigated the mechanistic role of the acylated "linker" domain that concatenates the two SNARE motifs within SNAP-25.

A mechanism for exocytotic arrest by the Complexin C-terminus.

ComplexinII (CpxII) inhibits non-synchronized vesicle fusion, but the underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. Here, we provide evidence that the far C-terminal domain (CTD) of CpxII interferes with SNARE assembly, thereby arresting tonic exocytosis. Acute infusion of a CTD-derived peptide into mouse chromaffin cells enhances synchronous release by diminishing premature vesicle fusion like full-length CpxII, indicating a direct, inhibitory function of the CTD that sets the magnitude of the primed vesicle pool.

Compact and flexible harmonic generator and three-color synthesizer for femtosecond coherent control and time-resolved studies.

Intense, multi-color laser fields permit the control of the ionization of atoms and the steering of electron dynamics. Here, we present the efficient collinear creation of the second and third harmonic of a 790 nm femtosecond laser followed by a versatile field synthesizer for the three color fields' composition. Using the device, we investigate the strong-field ionization of neon by fields composed of the fundamental, and the second or third harmonic.

HFOLD - A program package for calculating two-body MSSM Higgs decays at full one-loop level.

HFOLD (Higgs Full One Loop Decays) is a Fortran program package for calculating all MSSM Higgs two-body decay widths and the corresponding branching ratios at full one-loop level. The package is done in the SUSY Parameter Analysis convention and supports the SUSY Les Houches Accord input and output format. PROGRAM SUMMARY: Program title: HFOLD Catalogue identifier: AEJG_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.